Automatic amalgamator sluice-box



(No Model.) 3. Sheets-Sheet 1.

' II. L. PHILLIPS.

AUTOMATIC AMALGAMATOB; SLIIIGL BOX. No. 528,969. Patented Nov. 18, 1894.Y

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. L. PHILLIPS.

AUTOMATIC AMALGAMATOR SLUIGE B0X.

N0. 528,969. Patented NOV. 13, 1894.

INo Modal.)A j @sheetssheet H. L. PHILLIPS.

AUTOMATIC .AMALGMATOR SLUI'GE BOX.

Patented Nov. 13, 1894.v

Wim. mm. XN

Nits l STATES FFIC@ HERBERT L. PHILLIPS, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

AUTOMATIC AIVIALGAMATOR vs LUlCl-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 528,969, dated November13, 1894.

Application flied April 2s, 1 894.

A placer gold mining, and consists in the construction, combination, andarrangement of parts, as hereinafter shown and described, andspecifically pointed out in the claims.

This invention is more particularly applicable to the separation of theparticles of gold from the alluvial deposits of auriferous earth, butmay be employed in any other localities Where it may be foundpracticable.

This invention comprises a screening apparatus whereby the sand orgravel containing the particles of gold may be separated into particlesof different sizes, and in which it is pulverized and dissolved; andslllice boxes through which the screened lnaterial is caused to pass andin which provision is madefor the complete separation of the particlesof gold from the baser material.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view, and Fig. 2 is a sectional sideelevation, of the apparatus complete. sectional detail of the'siphoudischarge mechanism of the sluice box. Fig. 4 is an enlarged crosssection of the sluice box at one of the points where the amalgam platesare placed, illustrating the manner of arranging them. Fig. 5 is anenlarged longitudinal sectional elevation of the screen mechanism,andFig. 6 is a cross section of the same, on the line a: of Fig. 5,looking toward the tail end of the screen. Fig. '7 is a rear elevationof the screen mechanism. Figs. 8 and 9 areenlarged Fig. 3 is an enlargedserial No. 508,606. or@ models at the point Where one of the mercurytroughs is arranged, illustrating its construction.

The screeningy mechanism consists of an outer and inner set of revolvingcylindrically arranged parallel rods, the outer set of rods being nearertogether than the inner set, whereby the finer material is separatedfrom the coarser material. ,The construction ofthe screen is shown inFigs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, A being the outer set of rods, and A2the inner set of rods.

B B2 are two rings having channels or tracks for the carrier rolls D D2and against the interiors of which the outerset of rods A are supportedby rings B2 B4, the interstices between the rings B B3 B2 B4 alld therods A being filled with Babbitt7 metal, or the rods otherwise securedfirmly in place.

At the head end of the apparatus a ring B5 is secured, and in this ringthe head ends of the inner set of rods A2'are riveted or bolted, asshown. The rear ends of the inner set of rods extend beyond the ring Band are riveted through the inner edge of a ring E. A sufficient numberof the inner sets of rods A2 are extended to support a plate or disk E2as shown at ct', the plate E2 forming the closed rear end of the screen.These extended rods serve to draw all the parts together, as hereinafterexplained.

Attached to the center of the end plate E2 is a small drum E2, andattached to the outer surface of this drum are a series of curved sheetmetal buckets F', the outer ends of the buckets being curved outwardwhile the innerends are riveted fast to the next bucket in advance, asshown in Figs. 5, 6, 10, and 11.

Within the space between the rings B B3 and E and Aoutside the innerrods A2, are another series of sheet metal buckets F2`the outer ends ofthese buckets being curved outward while their i nner ends are curvedaround the outer surfaces of the rods A2 and riveted by their other endsto the next bucket in advance, as shown. The buckets F F2 are secured bytheir outer ends by small brackets to the plates E E2.

The outer ends of the rods A2 which are extended, as before stated, areprovided with nuts 0.2 so that they can be yutilized to draw the platesE E2, buckets F F2, and other IOO parts all closely together and holdthem firmly 1n place. By this arrangement the buckets F discharge thematerial which is too coarse to pass through the spaces between the rodsA', while the buckets F2 discharge the material which is too coarse topass through the spaces between the rods A.

Between the sets of rods A A2 are plates A2 arranged in screw form, asshown, so that the material will be conveyed along the screen rods anddischarged upon the buckets F2. The screw plates are secured in place bythe rods A A2 passing through them, as shown, and theinner edges gproject beyond the rods A2 into the interior of the separator to asuiiicient distance to act as a screw conveyer to carry the materialalong and dis charge it into the buckets F.

The rollers D D2 are supported upon the inner sides of the main sluicebox D2, as

shown, so that all the material which passes t through the spacesbetween the outer set of rods A', will be caught in the sluice box.

G G2 are spouts or troughs arranged beneath the buckets F and F2 andresting by their ends upon the upper edge ot the sluice box D2, andadapted to support the material passing over the ends of the rods A A2,so that the buckets will pick it up and discharge it od to the sides ofthe machine, the trough G2 being extended at G3 to convey the materialinto a secondary sluice box D4, While the trough G is extended at G4 toconvey the material beyond the secondary sluice box to the waste heap.

The screen may be revolved in any suit able manner, or by any suitableor available means. Where the supply of water is suiticient, a portionmay be employed to run a water wheel, as at H', in a fiume H2, andadapted to actuate bevel gearing H3 H4 upon one end of the screen, butany suitable means may be employed to actuate the screen.

D5 represents the spout through which the supply of water will be fed tothe screen,and D6 is the chute through which the material to beseparated is fed to the spout, and conducted thence by the flowing waterinto the screen, the force of which must be suiticient to carry thematerial into and through the screen.

None of the particles of the material to be separated by the screen,should be larger than the buckets F can handle, and to prevent anyparticles which are too large from passing into the screen, I arrangewithin the spout D5 between the chute and screen a series of inclinedrods D7 which thus serve to prevent too large pieces of stone or othermaterial from passing into the screen.

Both of the sluice boxes Ds D4 are arranged gradually sloping downwardfrom the screen, and with the sides gradually converging, toward thelower ends, as shown, so that the current of water will flow constantlythrough the sluice boxes and by the convergence of the sides be steadilycontracted more and more, so that the force of the current will besteadily increased from the head to they tail, the water constantlyrising higher and higher in the sluice box as the sides are contracted,and thereby forming a constantly increasing upward suction upon thematerial carried along by the water, and effectually preventing itssettling upon the bottom and banking therein. Thisisaveryimportantfeature, as it insures the free and unobstructed action of the apparatusand prevents clogging or banking.

The material discharged into the secondary sluice box D4 consists of thecoarser particles of gravel and earth and larger nuggets ot` gold, andsome small quantities ot dust gold, which may adhere to the largerparticles of gravel, or undissolved earth, but will genererally containgold only in larger or nugget form.

The sluice box D3 is lined throughout its bottom and for a sufficientdistance np its sides to insure their extending above the tiow of water,with corrugated amalgam plates K.

The sluice box D4 will not generally be provided with the amalgamplates, but may be provided with them if required.

At suitable intervals across both the sluice boxes Dand D4are insertedmercury troughs clsunken into the bottom of the boxes, to receive andhold the pellets ot gold charged amalgam detached from the plates andcarried along by the current. lhese mercury troughs are made removablefrom the boxes without interfering with their action or shutting oh? thewater, and the construction is shown in Figs. 12 and 13, whichrepresents their details of construction on an enlarged scale. Themercury troughs d' are supported in secondary troughs d2, the latterhaving tubular ends and inserted through the sides ot the sluice box soas to be revolved from the outside.` One side of the trough d2 riseshigher than the other as shown at (Z3, so as to project above the bottomof the box and act as a riiile to retard or check the tlow ofthe waterand permit the particles ot' gold to sink into the mercury troughs.

When the mercurytroughsare toberemoved, the tubular outer trough d2isrevolved on e halt a revolution, or until the rilile edge (Z3 rests uponthe opposite'edge of the cavity made for it in the bottom of the sluicebox, at d4, the trough d2 then being turned upside down and cutting offthe water from the mercurytroughs so that the latter may be drawn outthrough the end of the trough d2 when its cap d5 is removed. By thismeans the mercury troughs maybe readily removed and replenished withoutinterfering with the action of the apparatus.

The iirst one of the mercury troughs next the separator, will be largerthan the others, as it will receive the first instalment ot` the gold,which has been set free by the action of the separator.

For a short distance below the first mercury IIO trough, or the one nextthe separator, the bottom of the sluice box D2 is formed with a slightlysteeper incline, as shown at D1, so as to elevate the bottom of thetrough to conform to the lirst ri/fdc, and also to accelerate the flowof the water at the commencement of its passage through the wider end ofthe sluice box. At suitable intervals along the sluice box are insertedadditional corrugated plates K2 with amalgam material upon both sidesand placed a short distance apart in parallel lines, between which thewater Hows, so that a very greatly increased amalgam su rface isprovided, to insure the thorough contact of every particle of thematerial carried along by the water with the amalgam surfaces. As manyot' these plates K2 may be employed as may be required, and they may beplaced at intervals sufficiently close to meet the requirements of thework to be performed or the condition of the material being treated. Theplates K2 will be made easily removable, as shown in Fig. 4, whichrepresents a cross section of the sluice box at the point where a set ofthese plates occur, each of the edges e ofthe plates being supported bya separate rib e2. At the lower or discharge end of the sluice box it iscurved downward, as shown at Ds in Figs. 2 and 3, and is provided at thebottom of the curvewith one of the mercury troughs d.

Beyond the curved portion D8 between the sides of the sluice box, isarranged a curved cross partition D0, the upper portion h being about ona level with the bottom of the main portion of the sluice box, while thelower portion of the partition is curved backward,

just above the mercury trough, as shown at h2, so as to cause the waterto flow backward in whirling eddies in the pocket formed between theportions D8 and D0, and so retard and agitate the Water to cause theparticles carried by it to be precipitated with greater certainty. Abovethe partition D0 and curved portion D8 is arranged a con- Vex cover ortop D10 to the sluice box, the lower side of this cover beingcorrugated, the corrugations running crosswise of the sluice box, asshown. The cover D10 is hinged at t so that it can be folded back uponthe sluice box to aord easy access to the pocket, when required.

D11 is a curved corrugated cross partition inserted above the curvedportion D8 between the sides of the sluice box, the corrugations runningcrosswise of the sluice box, and covered on both sides with amalgammaterial, the interior of the curved partition D0, the outer surface ofthe curved portion D8 and the lower surface of the convex portion D10being also covered with the amalgam. By this arrangement the materialjust before being discharged from the sluice box is agitated and throwninto whirling eddies by passing through the depressed portion, theconvex partition D10 forming a siphon like conformation which` greatlyadds in the separation and retention of any particles of gold which mayescape contactwith the amalgam surfaces or mercury troughs.

By this simple construction the material is fed to the spout D5andthence conveyed to the revolving screen where it is separated into threeor more grades of tineness; first, the larger grade, which is only thecoarse gravel or rock containing no valuable particles and remaininginside the central cylinder formed by the rods A2 and conveyed by thecombined action of the inner edges of the screw conveyer plates and therunning water to the buckets F by which it is discharged into the spoutG4; second, the next finer grade which passes between the spaces betweenthe some of the amalgam plates or mercuryy troughs. The action of therods revolvingin the water is to thoroughly pulverize and dlgssolve theparticles or lumps of clay and earth, and thoroughly scour the sand andgravel, so

that every particle of the gold is separated from all other matter sothat when running down the sluice box and coming in contact with theamalgam plates, the particles of gold are readily seized by the mercuryand none of them escape with the tailings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new isl. In anautomatic amalgamator sluice box, a sluice box with the sides convergingfrom the head to the tail and having a lining' of amalgam plates withcorrugations running lengthwise of the sluicebox, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

2. In an automatic amalgamator sluice box, a sluice box with the sidesconverging from the head to the tail and having a lining of amalgamplates, and with mercury troughs at suitable intervals in the bottom ofsaid sluice box, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In an automatic amalgamator sluice box, a sluice box lined withamalgam plates having corrugations running lengthwise of the box, andwith a series of removable amalgam plates set in close parallelrelations length- Wise of the box vand corrugated to correspondv to saidplates, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. l

4t. In an automatic amalgamator sluice box, a sluice box lined withamalgam plates and with a downward curved end, a mercury trough at theextremity of the curved end, a backwardly and upwardly curving crossparlog IIC

tition forming a depression in the sluice box, and a convex cover abovesaid partition and having a lining of amalgam plates, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

5. In au automatic amalgamator sluice box, a sluice box with the sidesconverging from the head to the tail, a screen revolving in said sluicebox and through which the material to be treated is passed and in whichit is scoured and dissolved, the portion of the bottom of said sluicebox next to thetail end of said separator being elevated to form a rifleor check to the ilowing material, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

6. In an automatic amalgamator sluice box,`

a sluice box having tubular troughs d2 inserted in cavities across thebottom thereof and adapted to be oscillated and with one edge projectingupward to form riffles in the bottom of the sluice box, and adapted tosupport removable mercury troughs d', substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

7. In an automatic amalgamator sluice box, a sluice box with its sidesconverging from the head to the tail, substantially as andfor thepurpose set forth.

8. In an automatic amalgamator sluice box,

y a sluice box converging from the head to the tail,and provided withadepression or Siphon at its discharge end, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

9. In an automatic amalgamator sluice box, a sluice'box lined withamalgam plates and with a downward curved end DS, a mercury trough atthe extremity of the curved end, a backwardly and upwardly curving crosspartition forming a depression in the sluice box, a convex cover abovesaid partition aud curved portion, and a corrugated crosspartitionlsubstantially as and for the purpose set fort 10. In anautomatic arnalgamator sluice box, a separator formed of an outercylinder of horizontal rods and an inner cylinder of horizontal rods seta greater distance apart than the rods of said outer cylinder andconnected by heads at their ends and adapted to be re volved iu thesluice box, and with a screw couveyer plate between said cylinders ofrods and with the rods passing through the screw conveyer plates,whereby the material is fed from the head to the tail of the screen whensaid screen is revolved, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

HERBERT L. PHILLIPS.

Witnesses:

C. N. WooDWARD, v H. S. WEBSTER.

